Stokes’s Run‑Out of Pant Helps England Slow India’s Charge

England captain Ben Stokes ran out Rishabh Pant on the stroke of lunch to give his side a much-needed boost in the third Test against India at Lord's on Saturday. It looked as if India would bat through the third day's morning session without losing a wicket until Pant set off for a quick single in the hope of getting KL Rahul -- 98 not out -- back on strike so the opener could complete his century before the interval. Pant, however, just failed to beat Stokes's direct hit on the stumps from cover-point and was run out for 74. His exit ended a fourth-wicket stand of 141 with Rahul after they had come together with India faltering at 107-3. India reached the interval at 248-4, 139 runs behind England's first-innings 387 featuring a century from star batsman Joe Root. On another hot and energy-sapping day at Lord's, India resumed on 145-3.

Rahul was 53 not out with wicketkeeper Pant, off the field for much of England's innings following a finger injury, unbeaten on 19. There had been joyous scenes at Lord's on Friday when Jofra Archer marked his return to Test cricket after more than four years of injury-induced exile with a third-ball dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal. But Archer's first ball Saturday was glanced fine for four by left-hander Pant as the express fast bowler strayed in line. Three balls later, the famously aggressive Pant carved Archer over the infield as he flayed an 87 mph delivery on a good length in front of square for four. Rahul then drove first-change Brydon Carse for four and later glanced, square cut and clipped the fast bowler for three more elegant boundaries in successive deliveries. Meanwhile a charging Pant, who scored twin hundreds in India's defeat in the first Test and a quickfire 65 at Edgbaston, launched Chris Woakes down the ground. And when Carse dropped short, Rahul flat-batted a bouncer through mid-off in Pant-like fashion for another well-struck four.

Pant completed a 55-ball fifty in style by hooking Stokes for six. And he was equally severe on Shoaib Bashir, launching the off-spinner's first ball Saturday for six. However, Pant's expansive innings was brought to an end by Stokes' brilliance in the field to leave the match and series still tantalisingly poised.